Maritza Herrera-Diaz

“I didn’t do Westminster right.” This thought often crosses my mind when I reflect on my undergraduate years. As a commuter student from the west side, I spent my time on campus napping or eating between classes, pulling late nights in the now non-existent basement computer lab in Giovali Library, or occasionally attending on-campus events for The Forum. I devoted my free time to working multiple…

Monday, July 14, 2025 My younger brother says that life is full of touchpoints. If you discuss something enough, you’ll find people with similar experiences and perspectives, and have conversations that’ll turn into valuable information and open up opportunities. I don’t deny that, but I also believe in signs, and collective energy—that we’re all connected to each other through invisible strings…

Day 6: Thursday, May 28, 2025  Mt. Olympus My favorite day. Hiking! I love to hike. I grew up near mountains and have fond memories of hiking and camping along the Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges after classes, after work, and on weekends. It was never more than a twenty-minute drive to a trail. However, since I’ve moved to the East Coast, hiking has become a challenge. The closest mountain…

Day 5: Wednesday, May 27, 2025 The Bus Ride: Adaptable. If I had one word to describe my companions, I’d say “adaptable” would come before “affable.” Both would be appropriate, especially on Paleos Panteleimonas’ day. Our adventure began at 8:45 A.M. with a one-hour drive to one of the southernmost faces of the foothills of Mt. Olympus. At the rest stop, I enjoyed my first full view of Mount…

Day 4, Part 1: Tuesday, May 27, 2025 A panicked morning Burning. It was the familiar irritating warmth of a bite—a trail of them. I must be dreaming. “Switch dreams.” No, a burning, itching sensation ran up and down my upper arm. Sleepily, I ran my fingers over them and felt the risen skin of welts. “No. Not again. Wake up. Wake up.” I forced myself awake and stumbled my way to the light…

Day 1: Saturday, May 24, 2025 The First Flight: NYC to Zurich I must have had a face when I arrived in Thessaloniki. It had been a long 32 hours of no sleep. My day started on Friday morning. My father and youngest brother had flown in to catsit for me—a free place to stay in New York in return for catsitting was not a bad deal. But they’d arrived at LaGuardia around ten in the morning, and I’d…

First impressions The trip to Thessaloniki was the inaugural group, and I didn’t know what to expect. I’d be lying if I said I logged off the first meeting feeling comforted by my decision. The truth is, I felt a sense of panic. My travel companions varied in age, degrees held, personal interests, and life experiences—that part was interesting. What scared me was how articulate they were and how…

In January 2025, Westminster University announced the inaugural Return to May Term Alumni Travel Program. This is my personal story as it applies to that trip. I will post about the trip in segments. The trip was nine days long, and the experiences have given me a lot to reflect on, and thus, I will post as I finalize my thoughts about each experience. Signing up “I didn’t do Westminster…

Ixmcane Diaz “Grandpa. Please! Do something!” Emory Jade’s desperate pleas echoed down the hall. “You know it wasn’t him!” The pitch of her voice heightened with her distress. “He didn’t do it. You know he didn’t.” Her shouting turned to muffled cries as the door closed. Two officers kept watch outside the door. Metal bracelets once again tethered him to the bed frame. A monotone voice read off…

Ixmucane Diaz “Kieran? Kieran, wake up!” Hands shaking him. A gasp. His gasp for air. “Oh, thank God! We thought we’d lost you!” A memory.Blue-green eyes. Panic. A desperate scream. “I gotta get her out of here.” A hollow boom. Darkness. He was cold. A draft of air blew from above him. Goosebumps lined his exposed arms. He tried to pull the covers over himself, only to feel metal rings…